Australian company test-fires ute-mounted missile launcher

Inspired by the Ukraine war, a private Australian rocket company has test-fired its first artillery-style missile from the back of a Holden Colorado ute. Watch video.

Inspired by the Ukraine war, a private Australian rocket company has test-fired its first artillery style missile from the back of a Holden Colorado ute.

From a farming field on the Queensland-NSW border, Black Sky Aerospace (BSA) launched the prototype from a standard civilian utility to analyse how quickly a vehicle could be adapted for frontline combat.

BSA chief executive and former ADF Army pilot and explosives expert Blake Nikolic said the program had paid off in both development of the capability and the team’s abilities for rapid prototyping.

“When we saw what was going on in Ukraine, the team thought that was the chance to develop something groundbreaking that might be able to help,” Mr Nikolic said.

From a farming field on the Queensland-NSW border, Black Sky Aerospace (BSA) launched the prototype from a standard civilian utility. Picture: Supplied

“We still have more work to do but I’m so proud of how far the team has come in solving problems to get us to the point where we are firing prototypes off a ute,” he said.

Last month BSA fired an Australian-first training rocket for use by the ADF as a cheaper training alternative to firing actual missiles that can cost tens of thousands of dollars a piece.

Now it has developed a pod mounting for standard utes in under four months in answer to the Federal Government’s accelerated establishment of a Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise to enhance Australia’s self-reliance and supply chain resilience.

BSA’s General Manager Defence and National Security James Baker said it was about gathering data on the performance of the propellant as well as the sovereign-made missile and portable mobile mounting.

“We were very much inspired by Ukraine and the need to employ a system in extreme circumstances and quickly,” he said.

The war in Ukraine inspired the pod mounting for standard utes. Picture: Supplied

“In order to test in civilian airspace, we don’t fit warheads, and we stay within strict height and distance parameters. But this version of the missile will be capable of firing about 15km, and carrying a range of explosive ordnance.”

Mr Baker said engineers would now analyse the data for the prototype including the guidance systems and transportation, for scalable potential.

“Future variants on larger vehicles will be capable of greater distance and payloads but staying offensive-weapons-free has allowed us to make much faster progress than would otherwise be possible.”

BSA has built and test fired guided weapons and developed propellant and rocket boosters as well as achieving the first successful launch of a fully sovereign designed, made and powered rocket in more than 40 years with a launch that lasted four minutes to reach 30,000ft before parachuting successfully back to Earth.